Suddenly wont start?

[hutch4472]

Have had some "dead on" diagnostics and many great suggestions given on this site before so am hoping for such great knowlegable help again. Have a 02 L35 with 1600ish hours out at my wood lot (friends place about 3 miles from home). Been using it to skid logs to a place I can get my truck. Ran fine for a couple hours then shut it off, then would not start. When I turn the key on I get nothing, not a single light on the dash like would be normal. The battery and battery connections are real good, very clean. Checked fuse box under dash and found one blown but when replaced nothing changed. Any help or suggestion greatly appreciated. Otherwise I will be hauling tools out to the field and taking a WAG at repairs. Gotta get wood home to heat the family. Thanks in advance for your time.

Hutch

 

[JD 4520]

Eliminate as much as you can and list out what you have eliminated. Battery, fuel, power to the starter, etc, etc. then we can help narrow the field.

 

[KennyV]

You will find a Large master fuse Near the starter... it can be bad even if it looks okay... check it with a volt meter... KennyV

 

[LD1]

Sounds like you are not getting power TO the keyswitch. From the keyswitch, power branches off to various things depending on key setting. IE: glow plugs, starter, and dash lights. All of these are seperate wires off the back of the keyswitch. If NONE of them are working, It is unlikely that they ALL failed. So I'd start tracing the wire that supplys power TO the key.

I am not familiar with your particular model, but a VOM is a must, and a wiring diagram is very helpful. If there is a master fuse as kennyv suggests, that is a good place to start.

And its good advise to ALWAYS check fuses with a ohm meter. Even the small automotive type. Cause I have seen severaltimes where a fuse looked good, and the element was clearly intact, but was still open.

 

[LD1]

I did find this, and it may help you out http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/kubota-owning-operating/145088-l35-wiring-diagram-needed.html

It does appear that the fuse kennyv refrenced is a 40A slow-blow fuse. And it is what delivers power TO the keyswitch as I mentioned.

That would definatally be a good place to start. See if you are getting 12v AFTER that fuse. And if you ARE, see if you are getting 12v on THAT wire where it hooks to the back of the key switch.

If the fuse is open, that is the issue
If the fuse is good and you are getting 12v OUT of it, but nothing at the key, then there is an open somewhere on that wire
IF that wire is good and you are getting 12v to the back of the key, but nothing out of the key to the various functions, the key switch is likely bad.

 

[hutch4472]

JD 4520, Kennyv, and LD1, thanks a bunch for the help so far....So to back up a bit the tractor did a couple weird electrical things it never has before before this no start thing started yesterday. Once the glow plug light on the dash never came on before starting (which it always has), once the glow plug light came on while the tractor was running (never did that before), and when I shut it down the last time before the no start problem happened it just kinda sounded "wierd" when it shut down (like I was thinking that was different!). Ok so went out to the field where the tractor is today. Soon as I got there I turned the key on, it made some clicking/electrical noises from under the dash (it did not do that yesterday when the problem started) but still no lights on the dash at all and didnt even try to start when I turn the key completely to the right. I cleaned battey terminals, and cleaned ground strap that goes from battery to frame. Put back together and the tractor started normal....excellent I think....then shut off and started right up normal again.....I rejoiced for a few and poped a beer open then....no start again, no lights at all on dash, no clicking noise from under dash like before, nothing at all.......like the battery is completely disconnected. Battery voltage is 12.8v.........ANY additional suggestions welcomed.

Once again thanks again for your time......

Hutch

 

[LD1]

Okay, with intermittent problems, it most likely isnt the fuse mentioned earlier. And most likely a bad connection somewhere. Just got to start tracing it out and following the wiring and find out where you are loosing the voltage. And for starters, you NEED a VOM. And if you dont have one, GET ONE. A cheapy $10 unit from HF or parts store will work just fine.

Id start with the power wire on the back of the keyswitch. See if you get 12v. If not, start tracing back to the battery. If you are, move forward and follow the circuits. It could be something stupid like a safety switch or something.

 

[JD 4520]

Do you have any safety switches on the seat like mine and many of them have? If so check that out. Also since you had some luck with the last procedure, do it again and see if you can clean your connects a bit better including the grounding connection. You're on the right tract.

 

[Egon]

Any chance it could be the switch itself?.

 

[JD 4520]

Any chance it could be the switch itself?.

Yes, definitely could be.

 

[Firefighter Kubota]

Do you have any safety switches on the seat like mine and many of them have? If so check that out. Also since you had some luck with the last procedure, do it again and see if you can clean your connects a bit better including the grounding connection. You're on the right tract.

Check all your safetys? PTO, SEAT, CLUTCH switch, I don't think the 2-4wd lever would be an issue, But cycle ALL your levers and pedals...Make sure one is not missing a contact

 

[dodge man]

Usually if its a saftey switch, it seems like the dash lights would come on, but you never know.

 

[pdowling1]

He noted the glow plugs came on while it was running - Based on that I say the switch is bad.

 

[hutch4472]

Have been at work and not able to make it back the the machine yet. It only has a few safety switch's (wont start in gear) but I dont think its those. In the past the dash lights would always come on when a safety was activated, it just wouldnt turn over. This is like everything is dead. But sure appreciate the thoughts so far. Gotta get that thing going.....

 

[JD 4520]

Start at the battery and work you way through the electrical system going out in branches. Concentrate at the ignition switch and work off of that as you will likely discover your problem shortly. I would also likely guess its the ignition switch.

 

[hutch4472]

Well got back out to the tractor yesterday, installed a new ignition switch, turn key on and of five or six times and everything worked fine, then began to reassemble dash. Thought I should try it again before I get all the bolts back it, turned key and nothing at all, no lights no clicking sounds just dead? Crud, bad ground somewhere maybe? Im going to back out there today and if it fires up, which it always sometimes does first time I try it, I going to load her up and haul her back home where I can work on it in my shop with all my tools. Does anyone know where the other typical grounds are on a L35 besides the grounding strap off the battery?
Thanks again in advance for all your time,
Hutch

 

[KennyV]

Hutch.. you are now experiencing One of the reasons Not to replace components Unless you have tested and
know them to be bad...
you May have replaced a switch that was good, and had Nothing to do with the problem... OR The New switch May be bad, (it happens)... But everytime you replace any part, you are risking Adding an Additional, similar Or different problem to what you started with.
You need to start somewhere, (at the switch is an okay starting point), but you need to find the fault there, and actually verify that it is in fact defective, Before you replace any component. If you don't you could be replacing a lot of pieces and in doing so add more intermittent faults at each step.... Only replace components Known to be bad & contributing to one specific problem...

 

[johnk]

I'd give all the wiring a close look and make sure no mice got up under thetre and started gnawing. Might have a bare wire that touches another from vibrations. Happened to a Ford I had.

 

[rbargeron]

Okay, with intermittent problems, it most likely isnt the fuse mentioned earlier.......

Need to be SURE of the fusible link - I have had one act like that - fine one minute, zero the next. Did you actually find the fusible link? In the L35 diagram below (from an above post) it is the slow blow fuse beside the starter. It is a white plug with a red loop of braided wire. Unplug it and insert a u-shaped piece of heavy copper house wire into the socket. If this works, it means the red wire is corroded inside and needs to be replaced. The fusible link is there so that if somebody connects a battery the wrong way it won't fry the dash. Ok to run without fuse protection for a short time - just don't make a mistake when connecting jumper cables. Get a new fusible link when you can - it's only a few bucks.

As always, prompt cheerful refund if advice is bogus. Take care, Dick B

 

[mfreund]

Battery is junk.

I had one that even had 12.6 v. Had it load tested 150A . Battery was rated at 450A.